The Birthday Banquet
Three days passed in a flash.
Soon it was the day of Duchess Anguo’s birthday.
Early in the morning, the front of Duke Anguo’s Residence became lively, with carriages of most of the Capital’s powerful people stopping at the Marquis Residence’s gate.
All sorts of canopied carriages gathered in front of the Marquis Residence, dazzling to behold.
When Xue Lingyu got off the carriage, she only felt that the surrounding noise and sound of horseshoes were unprecedentedly comfortable.
Ever since her father discovered that she owed the Bao Xiang Shop money, she had been confined to her home.
If it weren’t for Duchess Anguo’s birthday, she certainly wouldn’t be able to leave the residence.
I just don’t know if I can see that Duke Anguo’s Heir who has recently become prominent in the Capital this time.
Originally, she didn’t have any feelings about this marriage, but after hearing about the Young Marquis’s recent affairs, she suddenly became a little interested.
Just as she was thinking, she heard several exclamations from the side.
“Hey, Madam Dong, why are you here today? Aren’t you afraid that the cold wind will worsen your headache? Or are you here at the Marquis Residence today to show off again?”
Madam Qin, the wife of the Ministry of Works’ Vice Minister, saw Dong Shi, feigning surprise and widening her eyes, but her words carried a hint of ridicule.
She has always been at odds with Dong Shi, and every time they attended banquets in the past, they would always ridicule each other a few times.
Later, Dong Shi rarely left the residence because of her headaches and couldn’t be exposed to the wind, let alone attend any banquets. The last time they met was at her Flower Viewing Party two years ago.
Because Dong Shi’s headache worsened during the flower viewing, she almost fell into the water. Madam Qin didn’t send someone to invite the Imperial Physician in time, which resulted in everyone saying that she, the hostess, hadn’t properly entertained her guest every time someone mentioned it in these years.
It was clearly Dong Shi who knew she had a headache, yet she insisted on showing off, harming herself and others.
This resentment had been kept in her heart for two years, and today she finally had the opportunity to ridicule her back.
Others also looked at Madam Dong and Chen Feiyan when they heard this.
Madam Dong, changed from her usual sickly appearance; her pale complexion was gone, replaced by a rosy complexion.
In a dark gold brocade dress, she only looked dignified and grand, without any signs of illness, looking energetic, and the whole person seemed several years younger.
Everyone was stunned for a moment.
Dong Shi only glanced at Madam Qin and said with a smile, “Madam Qin is joking. My headache has improved a lot thanks to the Cut Worries scented powder from the Bao Xiang Shop. Even if I go out in the wind, it won’t happen again. As for Madam Qin, who can compare to you when it comes to showing off? I haven’t been out much these years. I heard a few days ago that you got a new jade bracelet, and I heard that the quality is excellent, it must be priceless!”
If it weren’t for that banquet two years ago, how could her headache have been so severe?
That day, it was freezing cold, and Madam Qin insisted on taking them to the garden to enjoy the snow.
She felt unwell early on and wanted to leave, but Madam Dong wouldn’t let her, saying that it would spoil the fun and wouldn’t let her go. If not for this, how could her headache have worsened?
As soon as these words were spoken, Madam Qin’s face immediately changed, and she subconsciously touched her left wrist, and said angrily, “That jade bracelet is just an ordinary thing, it has even reached Madam Dong’s ears, how unreasonable, these gossips are really annoying.”
These days, everyone in the Ministry of Works was on edge because of the Left Vice Minister’s corruption, and the entire ministry was implicated. Who dared to show off at this juncture?
Still about money, who knows what will be involved. She hid the jade bracelet a few days ago for fear of affecting her husband. Who would have thought that this person would dare to mention it? It was really hateful.
Dong Shi only glanced at her and curiously said, “Is that so? How come I heard that Madam Qin said herself that the jade bracelet is precious and that there is no second one in the Capital? Or is Madam Qin just exaggerating?”
Madam Qin was so angry that her face turned green, she glared at her, and didn’t dare to argue with her anymore, instead chatting with others, for fear of being caught by Dong Shi again.
Dong Shi smiled and didn’t continue the topic, only exchanging polite greetings with other madams.
“Madam Dong, you just said that your headache is cured, is it true or false?” A gentle-looking madam curiously asked.
Dong Shi only smiled and nodded, “Of course it’s true, otherwise, how dare I go out? Before, as soon as I went out, my headache would worsen, you all know.”
Chen Feiyan also said seriously, “Yes, my mother also had a headache a few days ago, and it has only gradually gotten better these days.”
The gentle madam, hearing this, immediately asked, “No wonder I see your complexion has improved so much today. How did Madam get better? My mother also often has headaches. Because of this illness, she doesn’t eat well and can’t sleep well all day, and I, as her daughter, feel bad watching her.”
And there is still no way. Almost all the doctors in the Capital have been to the house, and not a single useful recipe has been produced.
Those Imperial Physicians in the Imperial Hospital are even worse, they are all good-for-nothings.
Dong Shi said with a smile, “It’s a coincidence. A few days ago, I heard that the Bao Xiang Shop launched a new scented powder called Cut Worries, which can soothe the mind, improve sleep, and treat headaches.
I didn’t believe it at first, so I just asked Feiyan to buy some back, but unexpectedly, the effect was quite good.
It can not only relieve headaches, but also sleep more soundly every night.”
Especially in the past few days, she has clearly felt that her headaches have decreased, and even if there is occasional cool wind, her headaches will not worsen.
It’s much better than before when she couldn’t go out at all.
The gentle madam immediately nodded, and said excitedly, “Then I’ll also have the maid go buy some back to try later.”
As she spoke, her gaze fell on the lips of Chen Feiyan and Dong Shi, and she felt that the lip rouge the two were wearing today was a little different.
The lip rouge on Dong Shi’s lips was bright red, the color was beautiful, and it was hazy, making her look extremely dignified.
Chen Feiyan’s lipstick was pink, perfectly matching the original color of her lips, moist, and different from the lip rouge that everyone else was wearing.
Every madam and young lady who came to the banquet today was carefully dressed, whether it was clothes or rouge and powder, it could be said that the best in the whole Capital was on them.
But none of the lip rouges could compare to that of Mother and Daughter Dong’s. Even the best lip rouge looked ordinary and unremarkable against the backdrop of the two of them.
Others obviously noticed this and became curious.
“Madam Dong, I feel that the lip rouge you’re wearing today is a bit different. It looks really good. Where did you buy it?”
“Yes, I noticed it just now. Especially the lip rouge on Feiyan’s lips, it’s moist and the color is beautiful, unlike ours, which is dry and all have similar colors.”
Being stared at by so many people, Chen Feiyan felt a little embarrassed, and said, “What I’m wearing is not lip rouge, it’s called lipstick, and there are many colors. They’re all bought from the Bao Xiang Shop.
The newly arrived shopkeeper looks quite capable. This scented powder and lipstick are very different from those in the Bao Xiang Shop before. They have never appeared in the Capital before. If you like them, you can go and buy them to try.”